Modern Journalist Toolkit 25: Why freelance writers really procrastinate
I know a lot about procrastination. I spontaneously invented my own time management approach when I was in third grade. We’d get a homework assignment each week on Monday that was due on Friday. On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings, I’d think, “I don’t want to do that. I’d rather watch reruns or read Judy […]
MJT23: Clichés, creativity, and Malika Favre
I highly recommend you click below and watch A Little Film About… Malika Favre. You’ve likely seen her illustrations before, and the short is beautiful to look at in and of itself. But I want you to pay attention to some of the things she says about her approach and her process, and how it can apply to […]
What freelance writers can learn from Cape Town’s Day Zero
As a freelance journalist based in Cape Town, South Africa, the full meaning and impact of Day Zero is revealing itself both incredibly fast (what about this? and that! and the other?!) as well as incredibly slowly (such as the city’s non-release of details about logistics, or queuing for water). What is Day Zero? In […]
Most popular posts of 2017
It’s that time of year when many people, including myself, look back at the year that’s been. Instead of tallying up all the items on my to-do lists that didn’t get done, I’m looking for things I did do. I invite you to try this as well. In 2017 I hit 20 posts in the […]
Modern Journalist Toolkit 21: Are your editors on your list? 🎅🏿
Spoiler and disclaimer, my friend: I am NOT very consistent about sending holiday cards. I send them some years and not others; when I do send them, who I send them to changes; I’ve sent paper and ecards. All of this applies to friends and family as well as clients. So please don’t take this […]
Favorite freelance writer resources
Updated in 2022. I’m happy to share these resources with you: my affiliate-free (read: no kickback, just links to things I use and like) list of favorite tools, apps, and programs; a few downloadable guides; and the most popular blog posts. Listen in to this audio companion for this blog post, where I expand on why […]
Modern Journalist Toolkit 20: Get your freelance clients to pay on time
Getting paid on time as a freelance writer isn’t luck of the draw. After more than a dozen years of freelancing full-time, I’ve had very few late-paying clients. Some of this is out of my control, but I’m quite diligent about a few things that most freelancers don’t bother doing. If you don’t think you have […]
The quarterback, the quiet friend, and “effortless” assignments
(Psst … Registration for Freelance Writer Bootcamp is OPEN. Click here to join the last session in 2017.) Recently I got an email from a new-to-me editor who works at a publication I’d never heard of. If magazines were high school archetypes in a teen movie, and the New York Times was the football quarterback […]
Modern Journalist Toolkit 19: A new answer to “Why now?”
In South Africa, “now” means sometime in the near future. “Now now” means even sooner. And when an editor (anywhere in the world) asks why your story is important now, they mean when the piece will be published and read. That could be tomorrow, in three months, or a year. Anticipating this aspect of your story […]
Modern Journalist Toolkit 18: How to leave a conference full of freelance article ideas (but not tote bags full of brochures)
The first time I went to a large trade show as a freelance writer, I wandered around, mindlessly stuffing free tote bags full of every single brochure and pamphlet on display. When I got home I was completely overwhelmed. I had no idea how to coax those stacks of paper (most of which was a […]
Modern Journalist Toolkit 17/Digital nomad: Freelancing on the road
When I saw this VW van in California a few weeks ago, I thought immediately about a recent article about #vanlife. Somebody who thought she could do her job remotely was surprised to find out that she couldn’t work on her computer during a bumpy ride, nor connect for calls in the middle of a […]
Modern Journalist Toolkit 15: For freelancers who are worth the money
When I started freelancing, I was 100% DIY. Pitching, researching, writing, editing–that was me. Tech support, print cartridge buyer, office cleaner–that was me too. One of the tricky things about making a good living as a freelance writer is getting a feel for what to do yourself and where to spend–or invest–time and money. Some […]
Modern Journalist Toolkit 14: Saving and organizing clips
[2019 update:] Click to listen to an adapted version of this post on the Writing Coach Podcast: The Writing Coach Podcast with Rebecca L. Weber: WCP41 Sorting and archiving freelance articles Whether your articles are published online or in print, you need to be able to make them readily available for potential clients to read […]
Modern Journalist Toolkit 13: Typos in Print
I allow plenty of time for Qs and As when teaching a class, leading a challenge, or working with a freelance writer during one-on-one coaching. But outside of these structures, I am largely working on my own writing. I thought it might be useful if I started answering some of the questions you email me […]
Modern Journalist Toolkit 12: What’s in my bag
When you’re out on a freelance writing assignment, you want to find a good balance between bringing everything you might need and packing light. I normally like to keep all my gear in a regular backpack. Some of you may disagree, and opt for something that is more stylish or that more plainly says, “Hey! […]
Modern Journalist Toolkit 11: Freelancing in the era of Trump with Ray Joseph
“Alternative facts.” Real-time verification. Journalists arrested or alienated when covering the president. If the 45th U.S. president is in power for four years, we have 47 months to go. What does Donald Trump mean for us as freelance writers? Some important insights about working in the new now come from those who have worked in […]
Setting 2017 freelance writer goals
If you’ve already signed up for the 2017 goal-setting challenge for freelance writers, watch the video below to get yourself ready. Otherwise you can click here to register for the goal-setting challenge: www.rebeccalweber.com/2017goals If you’re not feeling like looking back at 2016, scroll below to read about my own resistance to this exercise. When it […]
7 most popular posts of 2016
Would you be surprised to hear that this Backstory blog was originally conceived of as a place to post comics about what goes on behind the scenes when writing articles? A few years ago, I was not imagining that I would be making videos, teaching freelance writers how to pitch, leading goal-planning challenges, or even […]
Modern Journalist Toolkit 10: Color Me Quick
One antidote to overresearching, overreporting, overthinking, and overwriting is a really tight deadline. This video offers some takeaway tips on quick reporting in the field: For many freelancers, breaking news is part of a mix that keeps things fresh and exciting. For writers who are used to working in isolation, there’s a satisfying sense of […]
Modern Journalist Toolkit 9: Long-distance clients and time zones
Choosing to work with far-flung freelance clients typically requires two schedule modifications. The first is a flexible attitude, and the other is a system to manage the different time zones. Flexibility with your schedule Your existing commitments may mean that you can’t or don’t want to work in the mornings, evenings, weekends, local holidays, etc. If you […]
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